The need for venting hot and humid air from building spaces beneath roofs is well known. Without adequate and controlled ventilation of attics and like spaces, damage results to the roof structure, as well as to articles stored within the attic or like space. For instance, accumulated attic heat during cold winters may melt snow on the roof which can then refreeze in and damage gutters and drainage systems. Furthermore, lack of proper ventilation makes cooling and heating the remainder of the building more difficult, and permits the accumulation of condensed moisture which reduces effectiveness of insulation and may result in stained interior panels as well as promote mildew.
Generally speaking, ventilation through a roof cornice or similar structure is accomplished using soffit ventilators. Such ventilators are positioned under the roof overhang, allowing air to pass into the roof through horizontally arrayed vents. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,776,262; 4,611,443; and 4,201,121. Soffit ventilators are inferior because their positioning requires that the roof have a high profiles which necessitate additional building materials and expense and destroy the aesthetic character of the roof. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,776,262; 4,611,443; and 3,241,474. Furthermore, these ventilators are in many cases are bulky, cumbersome and very expensive to manufacture. Another common problem is an inadequate ability to exclude insects and other pests.
Thus, there is a need for cornice ventilating apparatus that is simple in construction, durable and easy to adapt to the existing conformities of a roof, that is low in profile relative to the roof structure, and that is capable of preventing insects and other pests from entering the building space.